ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.,None — A 20-year-old Ocoee man was sentenced Tuesday to 38 years in prison, followed by five years supervised probation, for murdering a man who he thought was homeless. Initially, John Hawthorne claimed he was defending himself from an attack by 30-year-old Joel Boner, the victim.
Then Hawthorne said Boner was trying to make a pass at him. But in the end, he was convicted of second-degree murder for Boner's death on July 22, 2009, in the woods near Hawthorne's home.
Tuesday's sentencing was emotional.
John Hawthorne's attorney wanted a new trial. He said the case never should have been prosecuted as second-degree murder. However, when that failed, he asked that Hawthorne be sentenced as a youthful offender.
Instead, Hawthorne will nearly be a senior citizen when he leaves state prison.
Orange County Chief Judge Belvin Perry was thoughtful in his consideration of a sentence for 20-year-old John Hawthorne. He was convicted of the July stabbing death of 30-year-old Joel Boner last month.
"I'm sorry for what happened. I'd like to take it back, not because I'm in trouble now, but just because people have been hurt throughout the whole event," Hawthorne told the court.
The event was a deadly confrontation between John Hawthorne and Joel Boner in a wooded area near Hawthorne's Ocoee home. The property near Lake Bennett was owned by one of Hawthorne's relatives. Boner had a campsite there.
Hawthorne and a friend rode an ATV onto Boner's campsite in July of last year. The property was owned by one of Hawthorne's relatives. Hawthorne told Boner to leave. Before that could happen there was a fight and Boner was stabbed multiple times. The fatal stab wound was to his heart.
His family was left grief-stricken.
"The saddest thing for any family to accept was the senselessness and brutality of Joel's slaying," said Carolyn Hagedorn, victim's aunt. "No sentence is great enough to bring Joel back."
Hawthorne's family asked for leniency.
"He never would have hurt anyone intentionally," said a relative of Hawthorne.
However, that's not how the jury saw it.
"You shall be committed to the Department of Corrections for 38 years followed by five years supervised probation," read a jury member.
"Truthfully, I feel sorry for Hawthorne's family," Hagedom said. "It'll never bring Joel back, but there are consequences for taking a person's life."
Hawthorne must serve 85 percent of his 38-year sentence. His attorney is appealing the sentence.
WFTV
